Head Deeper Into the Rockies to Discover Colorado's Mining History

Time to charge up before hitting the road. This downtown Colorado Springs parking garage has three types of plugs, including 2 CCS plugs, with a voltage of 62kw. While the vehicle charges, head over to Urban Egg for breakfast.
Type: CCS 1 Station, 3 Plugs Power: 62kw

A popular Colorado all-day brunch eatery, Urban Egg has eight locations along the Front Range, from Fort Collins down to Colorado Springs. The restaurant's ethos is farm-fresh and locally sourced, from the locally-roasted fair trade beans, to the breakfast meats, and Hickman’s Colorado brown eggs, of course, which are served every which way — omelets, creative Benedicts, scrambled and stuffed into a breakfast burrito or breakfast tacos, fried and added to avocado toast or tucked into a breakfast sandwich. Other standouts include Urban Egg's stuffed French toast and Colorado blueberry streusel pancakes.

After an hour-plus in the car, it's time for a stretch break, and what better place than scenic Victor Pass, a summit crest that's officially 10,201 feet above sea level. At these heights, the air is crisp and fresh, but you'll definitely physically feel the lack of oxygen — which means hydrate, hydrate, hydrate all day long. (Altitude sickness is a very real thing!) Take in the scenery, which is awe-inspiring in any season, and see if anyone in the family can point out Pikes' Peak in the distance.

Open year-round for hiking (or snowshoeing and cross country skiing when there's enough snow on the ground), the Vindicator Valley Trail is one of the most popular so-called "Trails of Gold" that dot the valley. The relatively easy, 2-mile loop trail follows a gravel road through the historic Independence Mining Camp, which operated from the 1890s into the 1950s; the trail passes quite close to several abandoned mining camp structures. Interpretive signs share the history of what, exactly, you're looking at. Remember, you are at extreme altitude — so wear sun protection, appropriate shoes and clothing, and carry plenty of water.

Well on its way to becoming a local institution, Gold Camp Bakery Cafe & Deli is in fact the realization of the American Dream for proprietors Gertrud and Ralf, who immigrated to the US from Germany 20+ years ago. The cafe serves up primarily American breakfast and lunch fare, ideally suited for pre- or post-hike nourishment, and some truly decadent German baked goods. Think biscuits and gravy, warm cinnamon rolls, soft pretzels, loaded deli sandwiches, chicken pot pies, and slices of German chocolate cake and Black Forest cake — plus cheesecake and pecan pie.
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 7:00 am – 4:00 PM Saturday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Sunday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Take a few minutes to stop in at Victor Trading Co. next door to check out the antique machinery the merchants used to make household brooms of all shapes and sizes — plus there's locally-made letterpress cards and other printed goods, glass creations, jewelry, antiques and vintage books, handmade candles, and literally thousands of cookie cutter designs.

Park here for a short stroll along East Bennett Avenue, which is Cripple Creek's main street featuring a number of frontier town storefronts that are often decorated for the different seasons.
The street has several throwback casinos, one of the town's adult entertainment draws. There are some shops worth browsing, including The Mercantile, a souvenir shop with all sorts of whimsical delights and treats (and t-shirts and the like) and also 9494: Gifts with Altitude, which features artisan-made goods ranging from handmade soaps and candles, to jewelry and knit goods, to children's books and plush toys. The town's main tourism office is located on the same block directly across from the parking lot.

Just down the street, where East Bennett Avenue curves and becomes North Fifth Street, the Cripple Creek District Museum is one of the town's most fascinating historical sites. Composed of five freestanding buildings — including the town's oldest standing structure, which survived the 1896 fire; a historic railroad depot; and two miner's cabins (circa 1892 and 1900) — the museum features period artifacts and vintage photos of life in Cripple Creek during the heyday of the mining boom. Seasonally (late May until the first weekend in October), the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad offers 45-minute rides on a historic train driven by a steam locomotive departing from the museum's 1894 train depot.

Set on hilltop just at the edge of town, Cripple Creek Heritage Center offers a brilliant birds-eye view of the town and its surroundings. Hands-on exhibits on several floors cover the region's geology, flora and fauna, Native American roots, as well as life in Cripple Creek during the boom days of the gold rush — including a who's who of early Cripple Creek residents, gold camp living, the introduction of railroads, and the business of mining. (The Heritage Center is also a great bathroom break/coffee break before the longer drive out of the mountains.)

Before heading out of town, make a slight detour to take in an incredible view that links the region's gold mining past with its present. A short set of stairs fused to an actual haul truck bed lead you to the fenced-in overlook of the state's largest working gold mine, which is operated by Cripple Creek-Victor Mining Co. Massive is an understatement: The pit is upwards of 3,500 feet wide, 4,500 feet long, and 600 feet deep. See if you can spot any of the same yellow haul trucks, which can carry up to 250 tons, working the mine below.

After a full day at altitude in the Rockies, one thing's for certain: Keep hydrating. On your return into greater Colorado Springs, the historic mountain town of Manitou Springs offers just the ticket — free-flowing mineral spring water that's drawn visitors for centuries for its purported restorative properties.
A total of eight mineral water springs can be found throughout of downtown Manitou Springs, each with its own distinct taste, all lightly effervescent. Cheyenne Spring, which was the spring water originally bottled by local Manitou Bottling Plant, features both a sculptural outdoor fountain and a stone spa building (built in 1893) with photos and another spring water fountain inside. Navajo Spring is located not even 100 feet away, if you're curious to taste-test two different sources.

Further down Manitou Avenue, Manitou Brewing Company serves up carbonated beverages of a more adult kind, although the brew pub is very family-friendly — the "under 12" menu items include a kid's quesadilla and cinnamon sugar pretzel bites, and the shareable small plates (MBC signature nachos, homemade white cheddar mac n' cheese with all sorts of fixings, chicken wings, street tacos) are crowd pleasers.
Snag a table outside on the patio if weather allows; drafts on tap feature both MBC flagships, such as their A-Frame Amber Ale and the Manitou Lager, as well as rotating specialty and seasonal selections. A flight of four 5 oz. pours is always a great way to discover the brewery's range, which includes hazy IPAs, American-style wheat beers, porters and stouts, and some wildly creative, more experimental brews.